Syria ISIS Airstrikes: US State Dept Says Assad Was Advised But No Coordination Made, Syrian Fighters Say Airstrike Will Help Keep Assad Regime Alive (PHOTOS)
Pictures showing an ISIL Command and Control Center in Syria before (L) and after it was struck by bombs dropped by a U.S. F-22 fighter jet are seen in handouts released by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) September 23, 2014. Reuters/US Department of Defense/Handout

The U.S. has claimed that the airstrikes in Syria on Tuesday was a success and could break many military strongholds of the Islamic State. Even though the U.S. is "assessing the effectiveness" of the campaign it was able to hit what has been aimed, commented Rear Adm. John Kirby, Press Secretary of Pentagon.

What is more surprising is the news that the America-led airstrikes were more sweeping and targeted objects beyond the ISIS. It also included Al Qaida and many other Islamic splinter groups, who had made Syria a safe haven. The operation also hit al-Nusra Front that is waging a war against Syrian President Assad, reported Yahoo News.

The a Newsweek report is explicit and quoted a U.S. military handout that said the airstrike destroyed and damaged multiple IISIS targets around Raqqa, Deir al-Zor, Hasakah and Albu Kama. Reuters confirmed the strikes in northern Syria killed hundreds of Islamic fighters.

Deal with Assad

The ease with which the U.S. and a set of Arab allies including Saudi Arabia entered Syria has set tongues wagging about a secret understanding between the U.S. and bête noire Syria's Assad. Assad might be smiling now. The strikes are impossible without an understanding with Assad.

Vox reports that there are speculations about U.S. having coordinated with Assad. Though the U.S. government keeps insisting there it has zero cooperation with Assad government, Syria has made it public that Secretary of State John Kerry sent them a letter explaining the U.S. plan and a degree of implicit cooperation. Whatever be the truth, this so called implicit cooperation was in evidence as American and Syrian forces avoided shooting each other.

A report in Washington Post said Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the U.S. airstrikes and called it a violation of Syria's sovereignty. Russia wanted the U.S to take Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the vanguard in any anti-ISIS action. But the silence of Assad in not resisting the American airstrikes is looking eloquent by itself.

Israel Downs Syrian Plane

Meanwhile, Israel shot down a Syrian jet in southern Syria with a Patriot missile after the aircraft mistakenly encroached the Israeli air space. Israel's Haaretz reported that the jet was downed at the Syrian side in Quneitra border, after it flew 800 meters into Israel. This was the first time in 30 years that a Syrian jet has been shot down by Israel.